User`s guide
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Opengear Application Note: SDTConnector + Dell Page 2 of 14
1.
Introduction
Currently Dell’s PowerEdge servers include a range of system management hardware and software support components
functions including Dell OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA), Dell OpenManage IT Assistant (ITA), the Dell Remote
Access Controller (DRAC), and the baseboard management controller (BMC). Opengear’s IM4200 gateways are preconfigured
with support for these components and this Application Note explores how Opengear’s SDTConnector client enables you to
securely access and control the Dell embedded service processors and interface with the OpenManage management
applications.
For basic management, Dell PowerEdge servers all include an on-board baseboard management controller (BMC) that complies
with the industry standard IPMI specification. Newer ninth generation servers (PowerEdge 1950, 2950, 2900 and the Blade
1955) support IPMI2.0 while the eighth-generation servers (PowerEdge 1850, 28xx) support IPMI1.5. The on-board BMC
monitors the server for critical events by communicating with various sensors on the system board, and sends alerts and log
events when certain parameters exceed their preset thresholds and performs the following management functions:
- Fault logging and SNMP alerting
- Access to the system event log (SEL) and sensor status information
- Control of system functions, including power cycling
- Text console redirection for system setup, text based utilities, and operating system (OS) consoles
- Access to the EMS, SAC and Linux serial console interfaces using serial over LAN (SOL)
For more advanced management Dell servers have the option to integrate a Dell Remote Assistant Card (DRAC), a PCI card
containing the Dell's proprietary service processor. Dell's service processor product has evolved rapidly. The current model is
DRAC 5 which ships with newer ninth generation servers and there are many DRAC 4s still shipping with eighth generation
servers. The DRAC interfaces with the BMC chip on the server motherboard. It supports IPMI 2.0 (or IPMI1.5 for DRAC 4) and
provides an extensive list of management services:
- OS-independent console, keyboard, and mouse redirection (virtual KVM) functionality
- Virtual floppy and virtual CD media functionality
- IPMI out-of-band interfaces
- Enhanced connectivity using the SMASH CLI
Dell OpenManage applications software, which ships with Dell PowerEdge servers, provides a range of system management
functions. It supports monitoring for single and multiple servers, and communicates with the BMC and DRAC processors.
- OpenManage’s monitoring agent, called Server Administrator, is deployed on servers to be monitored so that alerts
and other event information can be seen directly through its Web-based GUI and/or sent to a central console used to
monitor Dell hardware. Server Administrator provides views of a single system’s configuration, health, and
performance. It can be used to configure BIOS settings or server actions, and it provides online diagnostics to help
isolate problems or shut down and restart the server.